March 2020

I remember stepping into the elevator leaving the hospital with our newborn daughter thinking, ‘I can’t believe they are letting us take her home by ourselves.’ The thought kept running through my head over and over. We were young, responsible adults, so why did I question this imaginary giver of authority for allowing us to take our own child home? Three years later when I gave birth to our son, I didn’t have those thoughts. I’m sure I was nervous about caring for a toddler and an infant, but I don’t remember walking out of the hospital with Owen like I vividly remember that day with Isabella. By that time, I was confident. I knew what to expect and didn’t feel like I needed anyone’s permission. That was almost 17 years ago, but the memory of that day in the elevator came back to me while I was reading Imagine it Forward by Beth Comstock. It’s a fantastic book and my favorite takeaway is her permission slip. Comstock created a permission slip for those times when we feel like we need someone to say, “Ok, you can do this.” Life is full of those moments. You get in the elevator, but you’re not sure where you’re going. That’s what I love about the permission slip. When fear creeps in and causes us to question our abilities, or prevents us from acting, it is a tangible reminder that we don’t need to wait for someone else to authorize the next step. Comstock is right; your permission slip is attached.